Help Me Pick a Scope

[red rick]

I am looking for a long range big game hunting scope .

The two that I am looking at are :

Leupold VX-3 3.5-10X40

Leupold Vx-3 4.5-14X40 side focus

The side focus and higher power adds $280 dollars .

Do you think you need side focus on a hunting rifle and 14 power ?

 

[GooseGestapo]

Too much magnification! Yes, you'll want parallax adjustment on that much magnification. Whether it's side or front objective.
I suggest the VX3 3.5-10x. I don't own one but do have a Vari-x III 2.5-8x and a VX3 1.5-5X that are my favorite scopes. Those, and a bevy of 2-7's and 3-9x Vari-X II's.
I'm a hunter when it comes to scopes! A low power is desirable.
All my competition guns sport irons!

 

[jmr40]

Best value in a scope right now.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabe...er%3BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=instinct+scope

I can't get the links to work with individual scopes, but the 3-9X40 scope at the top is the same exact scope as the discontinued Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40. They are made by Meopta, who made the same scope for Zeiss. On sale right now for $279 is a steal for this much quality. I'm a Leupold guy, but this is a better scope.

Farther down the list is the same scope with a long range reticle. It is normally only $50 more than the standard duplex, but priced at $449 is not on sale right now. I'd normally say it is worth the $50 for this reticle, but probably not worth $170 more.

 

[Grumulkin]

I am looking for a long range big game hunting scope .

The two that I am looking at are :

Leupold VX-3 3.5-10X40

Leupold Vx-3 4.5-14X40 side focus

The side focus and higher power adds $280 dollars .

Do you think you need side focus on a hunting rifle and 14 power ?

I have Leupold scopes in both those magnification ranges. If long range means 400 yards to you, then the 3.5-10X is enough.

Past 400 yards, you would be best served with a scope with one of the rangeing reticles. I have Leupold Mark 4 scopes most of which I bought used. Mil dots are fine but I like the TMR reticle better.

 

[redneck2]

I have three 4-14 VX-3's. One is on my deer rifle. I hunt anywhere from thick brush to open fields.

Nice thing about them is the field of view seems generous for a 4x scope. Anyway, I'd most likely go with the 3-10

You will not be disappointed light transmission and clarity. They are awesome scopes.

 

[Sav .250]

14 power. Limited field of view.

 

[HexHead]

The VX-3 3.5-10x40 is one very sweet scope. It's the one Leupold hunting scope I didn't replace with a Zeiss. And that includes the VX-6 I had.

I've hit steel sillouettes at 200-900 yards with it on a .308.

 

[jakk280rem]

It really depends on your definition of long range. If you plan to make 500+ yd shots from a bi or tripod and have time to range your target, and set up for a good shot, then the lower field of view and higher magnification can be utilized. If you plan on making 400 yd or less shots off hand or from improvised field positions, then by all means, you'll want the larger field of view, and won't need the extra magnification.

 

[hq]

14 power. Limited field of view.

That would be my primary concern, too. I've downed a lot of game at 200-250 yards with a 4x, which might give an idea how much magnification you'll actually want for longer ranges. Using the same baseline, 12x for 600-750 yards is well beyond the capabilities of most long range specific calibers. I vastly prefer FOV over magnification, but that's just me...

 

[Sunray]

14 power is way too much. FOV on a Leupold Vx-3 4.5-14X40 is 7.4 feet at 100 yards. 11 for the 10X.
"...hit steel silhouette's at 200-900 yards..." Hitting is not killing cleanly. A steel target is not a live animal. No typical hunting cartridge has sufficient energy much past 400 and they tend to drop like bricks past 300.

 

[red rick]

Good advice I am glad that I asked the question ?

I am doing it kind of backwards I guess , I am buying the scope before the rifle .

I live and mainly hunt in a shotgun only county . I sight my slug gun and BP gun in at 100 yds. , even though a long shot in the woods I hunt is 50 yds. . So a long shot for me would be over 100 yds. and would not shoot at a animal before I practiced at that distance , what ever that range might be depending on the animal and caliber .

I just would like to pick a scope that will not limit me . I doubt I will ever shoot at anything passed 400 yds. .

I would like to Elk hunt one day while I can still climb a steep hill . I didn't want to spend my money on a good rifle and then skimp on the scope because I spent so much on the rifle . I find that I will skimp on other things before I will skimp on a gun . Thus my reason for getting the scope first .

 

[redneck2]

14 power is way too much. FOV on a Leupold Vx-3 4.5-14X40 is 7.4 feet at 100 yards. 11 for the 10X.

Uhhh....it's got this way cool feature called "variable power". Turn it down to 3-4x.

These threads come along every few weeks. And there's always a chorus of "THAT's TOO MUCH POWER"

Most everybody would agree that a fixed 4x would be fine. But for some reason a variable set at 4x is awful. And most likely the new variable has a considerably wider field of view set at 4 than older straight 4x scopes. Guarantee the 3x would.

I've used a 4-14x40 on my deer rifle for years. Works great.

HINT....keep it on low power unless you need more.

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

2-7x is the one to beat in my experience. Leupold's VX-R 2-7 is what I normally use. Works great for deer or larger under 500yds.

 

[redneck2]

One on my deer rifle is a VX-R 4-14x40 with the Firedot reticule. It's been perfect for the past four years.

As to the field of view comments, I used in deep forest in Canada for bear at 20 yards. No problem finding a black bear in solid rain and fog at dusk. Fire dot is the only reason I could see the reticule. Other than that, it would have been gone in the dark conditions.

 

[Muddydogs]

Uhhh....it's got this way cool feature called "variable power". Turn it down to 3-4x.

These threads come along every few weeks. And there's always a chorus of "THAT's TOO MUCH POWER"

Most everybody would agree that a fixed 4x would be fine. But for some reason a variable set at 4x is awful. And most likely the new variable has a considerably wider field of view set at 4 than older straight 4x scopes. Guarantee the 3x would.

I've used a 4-14x40 on my deer rifle for years. Works great.

HINT....keep it on low power unless you need more.

What he said.

You may not need 14 or 16x all the time but when you do it's nice. My 7mm is my go to hunting rifle and carries a 4-16x42 Vortex scope just like my 243. Hunted for years with a fixed 4x but as the eyes get older it's nice to have some extra magnification when making further shots like shots at Antelope on the wide open plains.

Guys are always posting about the lack of field of view with higher magnification, well you shouldn't be using your rifle scope for glassing in the first place and if you can't shoulder your rifle and be looking at the target in the scope then one really needs to practice shouldering and acquiring the target until it becomes second nature. Get in the habit of turning down the scope power and checking the setting every once in awhile so the scope is set to 4x for them close quick shots.

 

[HexHead]

"...hit steel silhouette's at 200-900 yards..." Hitting is not killing cleanly. A steel target is not a live animal. No typical hunting cartridge has sufficient energy much past 400 and they tend to drop like bricks past 300.

Agree on all points. The point I was making was that the 10x was enough to acquire the target and take the shot at those distances. I wouldn't recommend hunting at the extreme distances.

 

[red rick]

I went with the VX-3 3.5-10x40 .

With the Leupold rebate on the VX-3 and 10% off code , I was able to get the VX-3 at almost the same price as a VX-2 . After the rebate $350.00 .

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I live and mainly hunt in a shotgun only county . I sight my slug gun and BP gun in at 100 yds. , even though a long shot in the woods I hunt is 50 yds. . So a long shot for me would be over 100 yds. and would not shoot at a animal before I practiced at that distance , what ever that range might be depending on the animal and caliber .

I just would like to pick a scope that will not limit me . I doubt I will ever shoot at anything passed 400 yds. .

Everyone here will tell you I'm a crusty, opinionated old bastard, but I've been hunting more than 60 years, and aside from varmint hunting, I've only used a variable scope at anything but it's lowest setting ONE time.

I have a flock of hunting rifles with fixed 2 1/2X and 4X scopes -- and never have any trouble with them.

I have spent a lot of time in the Rockies, and when you're huffing and puffing up a 20-degree slope at 11,000 feet, you'll never wish for a bigger scope (or a heavier rifle, either).

At 400 yards, a Leupold M8 scope in 4X would be ideal.

 

[redneck2]

.

I went with the VX-3 3.5-10x40 .

With the Leupold rebate on the VX-3 and 10% off code , I was able to get the VX-3 at almost the same price as a VX-2 . After the rebate $350.00

If somebody wanted a good scope and passed that up, well....

Great choice

 

[Jackal]

Leupolds $100 VX-3 rebate goes until Dec 31. so whichever you choose, buy now. I got my 2.5-8x36 VX3 for $288 shipped after rebate.

 

[lobo9er]

but is 14x option worth an extra 280 bucks if they will never use it? I'd say save the money and go with the 3.5.

 

[ironworkerwill]

JMR40 said:Best value in a scope right now....

Yup, that Cabella's scope is the same as the MeoPro scope made by Meopta. That's a good deal... if anyone is interested.

 

[Geno]

The 3.5-10 makes a great big game scope, a great varmint scope, even a great target scope. I've used that power range for big game to 525 yards, easily. I've used to it harvest lots of varmints, and it is a dandy target scope within 500 yards.

As to Leupold, it makes what I call point of rationality: the most scope for the least money. When I compare my Leupolds against my Trijicons, and my Nighforces, I am very hard pressed to justify $2,000.00 per Nightforce, or $1,000.00 per Trijicon Accu-Point, versus $500.00 for a Leupold Vari-X III, or VX-3. They are awesome optics!

Geno

 

[lobo9er]

Iron and Jmr hows that Meopro compare to leupold vx3?

 

[hq]

Iron and Jmr hows that Meopro compare to leupold vx3?

In daylight it's a coin toss. They're very similar scopes at the same price point. Leupold has a reputation of being very rugged and dependable. In low light Meopro generally has an advantage due to better lens coatings. It's the same kind of difference you'll find between VX-6 and Meostar R1/R2 series, both are fantastic scopes, only design goals differ slightly.